Stella McCartney Made an Impassioned Call for Sustainability in Fashion at the G7 Summit

This past week, the G7 summit took place in Cornwall, England, where the Prince of Wales gathered world leaders and a handful of influential CEOs to discuss how they can unite and collaborate on global climate change efforts. One of the thought leaders on hand was the designer Stella McCartney, who represented the fashion industry in these important discussions. McCartney is a well-known environmental activist and her label makes use of several eco-friendly practices, including using Econyl fabric (which is made from recycled plastic bottles) and innovating on new, sustainable faux furs. 

Ahead of the official G7 Summit on Friday, McCartney and leaders such as the U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry gathered at St. James Palace on Thursday. McCartney urged leaders to consider doubling down on laws or regulations in the fashion industry that would force designers and brands to not only think more sustainably, but also to act upon it. “I’m really here to ask all of these powerful people in the room to make a shift from convention to a new way of sourcing and new suppliers into the fashion industry,” McCartney said. “One of the biggest problems that we have in the fashion industry is we’re not policed in any way. We have no laws or legislations that will put hard stops on our industry… We need to be incentivized, [and] we need to have taxations looked at to work in a better way.”

Following the gathering, McCartney and fellow leaders also signed onto the Terra Carta Transition Coalitions, an organized collective devoted to global sustainable efforts. McCartney ended by calling the industry, “one of the most polluting in the world,” and recognizing how it contributes to global warming worldwide. She discussed how creating change within the industry alone can have a much bigger impact on our planet than we think. “My goal is to drive change, encourage investments, and create lasting difference through incentives supporting the next generation,” McCartney said. “I hope the G7 Summit will translate our message into policies bringing us closer to creating a cruelty-free society that is kinder to all creatures, Mother Earth, and each other.”